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RE: Honor the Troops? Maybe We Should Hold Them Accountable Instead.

in #peace7 years ago (edited)

I can understand your problem with the United States Government. The United States, however, is an extension of its people and are ultimately in power because of its citizens. My question for you: Did you vote? Not just for your president, but your Governor, your Congressman, State Senator, or any of the other elected positions? Have you done anything to educate the youth of the Importance of this? The truth is the new generations do not care enough about politics to be accurately represented by our elected government officials.

Besides, blaming members of the military for supporting the decisions our elder generations makes no sense for many reasons. For starters, the United States Armed Forces do an enormous amount humanitarian relief all around the planet when people were in life or death situations. The military has been there to aid millions, and the service members are the ones who worked through the night to aid in the relief.

Most men and women in the military start at a young age enlisting at 18-years old and sometimes before they even graduate high school with parental permission. Some barely understand how the world works, and are the product of American Culture which has been more concerned about which Kardashian had the most recent cosmetic surgery than whether their country is doing the right thing. Public education in America is behind many countries today in education, and not all of them are completely aware of what they are signing up to do. Education, being the reason so many join the military because college is too expensive for many Americans today. So at 18, they're sent to another country to fix a situation they barely understand.

I am not claiming the U.S. has made no mistakes and clearly there has been. An article from The Atlantic title, [Is a Better World Possible Without U.S. Military Force](https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.theatlantic.com/amp/article/504512/)," the author, Shadi Hamid, talks about the civil war that broke out after the Iraq invasion, and how it broke it in Syria without the U.S. intervention. The article explains how although the United States has not been the "force for good" Americans would think it's been, the United States is one of the few forces that stands against "mass slaughter and genocide." For instance, in Rwanda when the international community chose not to interfere, more than 800,000 civilians were murdered. We did not intervene and so many people lost their lives because everyone saw it as not their problem.

Our problem is our culture and our ignorance. We the people need to stop burning down our local businesses because we're mad about how we're treated, and become the change ourselves. We need to change the stereotype of politicians by becoming better politicians, change our school systems by becoming better teachers, change the greedy business stereotype by starting companies that improve lives instead of polluting rivers, and we can change it because the 1% are nothing without us. The world can change but bashing on soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines is not solving anything.

I cannot help but be biased in my opinions, and I hope I remained emotionally stable. But I served in the United States Navy for the standard four-year commitment, but I know the impact I've made through my service. The people you're talking about are more than service members; there our brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers, and you're talking about the people who are willing to risk their lives to save yours and your family's.

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